Sons of Fortune

“I suspect we will find out the answer to that question in the not-too-distant future.”

“Did I make a lot of mistakes?” asked Fletcher.

“A few,” said the professor turning the pages of his pad.

“What was the biggest one?”

“Your only glaring error, in my opinion, was not calling a doctor to describe in graphic detail—something doctors always enjoy doing—how the bruises on Mrs. Kirsten’s arms and legs might have been inflicted. Juries admire doctors. They assume that they are honest people, and in the main they are. But like every other group, if you ask them the right question—and it is after all the lawyers who select the questions—they are as prone to exaggeration as the rest of us.” Fletcher felt guilty that he had missed such an obvious gambit, and only wished he had taken Annie’s advice and sought the professor’s counsel earlier.

“Don’t worry, the state still has one or two hurdles to cross, because the judge is certain to grant us a stay of execution.”

“Us?” said Fletcher.

“Yes,” said the professor quietly, “although I have not appeared in court for many years, and may well be a little rusty, I was hoping that you might allow me to assist you on this occasion.”

“You would serve as my co-counsel?” said Fletcher in disbelief.

“Yes, Davenport, I would,” said the professor, “because you did convince me of one thing. Your client should not be spending the rest of her life in jail.”

“Jury’s coming back,” shouted a voice that echoed down the corridor.

“Good luck, Davenport,” added the professor. “And may I say before I hear the result, that for a second-year student, your defense was a remarkable tour de force.”

Nat could sense how nervous Su Ling was the closer they got to Cromwell. “Are you sure your mother will approve of the way I’m dressed?” she asked, pulling her skirt down even farther.

Nat looked across to admire the simple yellow suit that Su Ling had selected, that just hinted how graceful her figure was. “My mother will approve, and my father won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”

Su Ling squeezed his leg. “How will your father react when he finds not that I’m Korean?”

“I shall remind him of your Irish father,” said Nat. “In any case, he’s spent his whole life dealing with figures, so it will take him only a few minutes to realize how bright you are.”

“It’s not too late to turn back,” said Su Ling. “We could always visit them next Sunday.”

“It is too late,” said Nat. “In any case, haven’t you considered how nervous my parents might be? After all, I have already told them that I’m desperately in love with you.”

“Yes, but my mother adored you.”

“And mine will adore you.” Su Ling remained silent until Nat told her that they were approaching the outskirts of Cromwell.

“But I don’t know what to say.”

“Su Ling, it’s not an examination that you have to pass.”

“Yes, it is, that’s exactly what it is.”

“This is the town where I was born,” said Nat, trying to relax her as they drove down the main street. “When I was a child, I thought it was a great metropolis. But to be fair, I also used to think Hartford was the capital of the world.”

“How long before we get there?” she asked.

Nat glanced out of the window. “I’d say about ten minutes. But please don’t expect anything too grand, we only live in a small house.”

“My mother and I live above the shop,” said Su Ling.

Nat laughed, “And so did Harry Truman.”

“And look where that got him,” she replied.

Nat turned the car into Cedar Avenue. “We’re the third house on the right.”